Roos Field Renovation

[Palm Springs Eag]

Here is one (HS stadium) down the street from my house. I mean, I know it's Texas, but still... Boggles my mind that no incremental improvements have been made to the East stands. Maddening.

Looks like Allen Tx maybe...

Kelly Reeves Stadium just outside of Austin it looks like. The Allen Tx stadium is incredible too.

The complete freeze on any improvements, no matter how small, and the compete lack of any apparent efforts to create any level of momentum is discouraging. I feel momentum is going the wrong way at this time.

 

[marceagfan5]

It was almost 50° and sunny at kick off on Saturday, and we didn’t have a full stadium, the visiting side and the end zone were half full, at best. Would love to see some improvement, so we can fill those stands, extremely disappointed with the progress made to date

 

[EWU98]

It was almost 50° and sunny at kick off on Saturday, and we didn’t have a full stadium, the visiting side and the end zone were half full, at best. Would love to see some improvement, so we can fill those stands, extremely disappointed with the progress made to date

I think part of that was that a lot of the professors had their finals early and a lot of the students had left on break already.

 

[clawman1]

It was almost 50° and sunny at kick off on Saturday, and we didn’t have a full stadium, the visiting side and the end zone were half full, at best. Would love to see some improvement, so we can fill those stands, extremely disappointed with the progress made to date

I thought the stands were more than 1/2 full but that is not your point, why were there not more people there? As I watch other college games I am shocked with the low attendance in the stands, some of the large stadiums have well under 1/2 seats filled and some maybe as little as 10% full.
Do you feel better facilities would equate to more fans?

 

[scottywashere11]

http://www.khq.com/story/37009381/ewu-associate-director-of-athletics-faces-theft-charges


Fundraising is just not EWU's thing....

Disclaimer: he is completely innocent until proven guilty

 

[EWU98]

http://www.khq.com/story/37009381/ewu-associate-director-of-athletics-faces-theft-charges


Fundraising is just not EWU's thing....

Disclaimer: he is completely innocent until proven guilty

This might have something to do with our AD stating during one of the older POD casts that they were not doing the Game USED Jersey Auctions for a while...he seemed to have gotten a little nervous about the topic and moved on quickly. Just speculating here on this.

 

[ewusigep252]

In other football stadium news in Spokane...

[tweet]https://twitter.com/spokesmanreview/status/939316167247835137[/tweet]

 

[LDopaPDX]

In other football stadium news in Spokane...

[tweet]https://twitter.com/spokesmanreview/status/939316167247835137[/tweet]

As much as it sucks to say it, maybe the long term solution is playing in a common use stadium in Spokane. I hate the thought of not playing on campus, but it doesn't sound like university administration values either home games or proper facilities. It might be time to start looking at less appealing options.

 

[EWU98]

In other football stadium news in Spokane...

[tweet]https://twitter.com/spokesmanreview/status/939316167247835137[/tweet]

As much as it sucks to say it, maybe the long term solution is playing in a common use stadium in Spokane. I hate the thought of not playing on campus, but it doesn't sound like university administration values either home games or proper facilities. It might be time to start looking at less appealing options.

Not going to happen...we have a streak of 25 straight sellouts...in thier eyes it might be a case of..."we are selling out so why change anything?"

 

[JoinTheEAF]

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/dec/10/follow-the-higher-ed-mission-and-science-abolish-f/

Here is one person's opinion regarding our football program.

 

[ewueagle2010]

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/dec/10/follow-the-higher-ed-mission-and-science-abolish-f/

Here is one person's opinion regarding our football program.

Move along like it never happened. Fact of the matter is, there are people in this world like her and she has the right to her "opinion." Outside of that, it's a waste of time and energy to let such a silly stance on reality fire us up.

 

[LDopaPDX]

These anti-sports people have always existed. This is a more modern take of the "athletics is contrary to the mission of the university" position.

The problem here is that our university has had a half-in, half-out relationship with our athletics department. Sure, admin wants our teams to be good, but they don't want it bad enough to actually support our teams at the level of our peer institutions. While this may have been reasonable back when Eastern had 8,000 students, it's tougher to explain now that our enrollment is closer to the Big Sky average. Now we just appear to be cheapskates.

The things people who hate college football can't rationalize is that, for one, athletics is the greatest avenue to diversify your student body by offering scholarships to people who may not fit the traditional student mold. This includes a disproportionate number of scholarships to people of color. Secondly, athletics is the marketing vehicle by which most people are initially exposed to a university. Can you name anything that offers more outreach from a university to the general populace? If thee school is Harvard, MIT, or Stanford, they can ride their academic reputation. Eastern Washington, or darn near anyone else, can't do that.

 

[clawman1]

Ever heard of Kennesaw State University? Neither had I before they played MSU in Bozeman. http://www.ksuowls.com/sports/2015/7/14/FBHISTORY.aspx
Relatively new to FCS football but getting national exposure in the playoffs.
They are making a big statement with facilities to further their university.
http://sportspark.kennesaw.edu/facilities/
Too bad Eastern does not have such leadership on the BOR and Eagle One!

 

[ajneedhams]

I very much did not like reading that article above. So it is all starting to make sense now. No wonder, the expansion project has been on hold so many years. When garbage like this is sent by the those on the board of directors. First, you have a president who couldn't care a hoot about football and then you have bogus liberal arts teachers voicing their displeasure. We live in the Seattle area and my son will be attending Eastern in the fall. (Like his Dad and I did 25 years ago) Why isn't he at Western?? Because he wants to avoid the liberal propaganda and because they squashed out football several years ago. I'm afraid of the same thing happening here in good time. Maybe not at UW and WSU because of the bigtime revenue, but smaller regional schoosl? I see the writing on the wall. If we were going to move foreward with the program, renovations would have been done by now. It is stagnant as hell. But you can better believe our pub will have gender neutral bathrooms on all floors. Pull your head out Eastern before it's too late. We need new leadership. Oh and I know who my son won't be having for an English teacher.

 

[LDopaPDX]

I very much did not like reading that article above. So it is all starting to make sense now. No wonder, the expansion project has been on hold so many years. When garbage like this is sent by the those on the board of directors. First, you have a president who couldn't care a hoot about football and then you have bogus liberal arts teachers voicing their displeasure. We live in the Seattle area and my son will be attending Eastern in the fall. (Like his Dad and I did 25 years ago) Why isn't he at Western?? Because he wants to avoid the liberal propaganda and because they squashed out football several years ago. I'm afraid of the same thing happening here in good time. Maybe not at UW and WSU because of the bigtime revenue, but smaller regional schoosl? I see the writing on the wall. If we were going to move foreward with the program, renovations would have been done by now. It is stagnant as hell. But you can better believe our pub will have gender neutral bathrooms on all floors. Pull your head out Eastern before it's too late. We need new leadership. Oh and I know who my son won't be having for an English teacher.

I wouldn't worry too much about the rantings of a football-hater. These people have always existed. Unfortunately, they exist in higher numbers at Eastern than they do at other schools. Anyone remember that weirdo geology professor trying to push the school to get rid of its athletic programs a few years back?

The reality is quite the opposite. Western is a notable exception. George Fox and Pacific University have both added football programs in Oregon over the last five years. College of Idaho has recently started a football program. Schools are having a tough time getting adequate numbers of men to apply, and taking away the scholarships for football players or the entertainment of having football games to attend only hurts male enrollment. Lagging male enrollment could be tied to the demonization of men and masculinity on college campuses or the popular notion that men are all secret wannabe rapists. Do you really want to have that crap shoved down your throat every day?

I suspect if you delved deeper into this woman's personality, you'd find a lunatic fringe feminist who hates football because it's too masculine (could be totally wrong, but that's what I'd envision-- feel free to prove otherwise). One interesting thing to note is CTE is more prevalent among NfL players on account of the sheer number of years they play the sport. The odds of serious brain trauma from 4 years of college ball is incredibly slim. I'd also argue steps have been taken alleviate the issue. No football team goes full speed, full contact anymore. The NCAA doesn't even allow two-a-days in fall camp. Have you ever seen those new bicycle helmet additions most linemen wear during practice these days? They're stupid looking, but they give extra head protection.

I said all that to say this, football isn't going anywhere. Not at Eastern or anywhere else. Football is still the revenue driver at most universities. I would hope Eastern would be envious of the revenues other schools- schools not afraid of facilities investments- and try to mimic them. I think the problem is fundraising, specifically Eastern's inability to fundraise on par with our peer institutions. I'm sure we'd have a stadium if someone dedicated 10 figures to the project. Since no one has stepped up with that kind of money, and Eastern hasn't fundraised to the level of our peer institutions, we have a crappy stadium.

 

[ajneedhams]

Well, I do feel better having read your response. Thank you. I'm glad you think football isn't going anywhere and is here to stay. Reading about the new verbal acceptances to our football program has also helped me. There are certainly those fringe sports haters that will always think they must put their protest on blast. :hater: I just wish that Eastern could see what an important part the field and stadium is to the university as a whole. It is one of the first things prospective students and players evaluate. Would it be so darn hard to put up some permanent bleachers on the visitor side and improve the locker room facilities? Also, our wonderful red turf is about due for a new firey red surface :fuel: Things like this should be done in the off season right now. Somewhere within the university, someone is sitting on that money. :chair:

 

[LDopaPDX]

Well, I do feel better having read your response. Thank you. I'm glad you think football isn't going anywhere and is here to stay. Reading about the new verbal acceptances to our football program has also helped me. There are certainly those fringe sports haters that will always think they must put their protest on blast. :hater: I just wish that Eastern could see what an important part the field and stadium is to the university as a whole. It is one of the first things prospective students and players evaluate. Would it be so darn hard to put up some permanent bleachers on the visitor side and improve the locker room facilities? Also, our wonderful red turf is about due for a new firey red surface :fuel: Things like this should be done in the off season right now. Somewhere within the university, someone is sitting on that money. :chair:

It's funny you mention that we should just erect some highrise bleachers on the East side, which is what I've been saying for years. Even if it's not a permanent solution, it would at least suffice for a decade or so. And let's be honest, with absolutely nothing else happening, it at least lets that ugly black eye heal a bit. I heard that suggested on a podcast a while back and supposedly the sticking point is that there is no water access on that side of the stadium to install bathrooms. I mean, really? THAT'S the sticking point? What does it cost to run a commercial waterline in from Washington Street? $50k?

I don't think fans demand suddenly having a best-in-conference facility. I just want something that looks like a quality FCS venue, not a piss-poor stadium that we're all ashamed of. The bleachers behind the North endzone look fine. Can we not just use a bigger version of those? Maybe 15 rows higher and running from the 10 yard line to the other 10 yard line? It at least gets rid of the hideous lopsidedness of our current venue and adds reasonable capacity to the stadium.

 

[ajneedhams]

Yes, Yes, and Yes, LDopaPDX. You've got it. That is exactly what we need....like yesterday.

 

[EWURanger]

Hate to say it, but if the BoR isn't going to take decisive action on stadium renovations in the immediate future, it may be time to start exploring the co-use of the proposed new multi-purpose stadium downtown. I don't like the idea of not playing on campus, but I also don't like the idea of playing another 10 years in a 50 year old venue we've outgrown.

 

[EWURanger]

I heard that suggested on a podcast a while back and supposedly the sticking point is that there is no water access on that side of the stadium to install bathrooms. I mean, really? THAT'S the sticking point? What does it cost to run a commercial waterline in from Washington Street? $50k?

Yeah, this is absolute bullshit and I suspect merely a deflection from discussing the subject. Laughable that it would be brought up as a point of conntention, frankly.